From a minor chip to a major crack, windshield damage can appear out of thin air, especially in Houston, where people drive fast, and dangerous debris on the road is common. Even a small, unassuming dent can turn into a massive headache if you don’t quickly seek out Houston auto glass repair through certified, trusted experts.
Not only can auto glass damage be unsightly, but it can also greatly decrease your safety on the road. By seeking timely Houston auto glass repair, you can increase your vehicle’s safety and cost-effectiveness, as well as prevent further damage. Since 1973, Action Glass Houston has delivered fast, friendly service, quickly getting our customers back on the road.
The Role of Auto Glass in Vehicle Safety
Many drivers overlook the critical importance of windshields when it comes to a car’s overall safety. Windshields play a huge role in the structural integrity of a vehicle’s shell, meaning they help keep the roof supported. Especially during serious accidents like a rollover, windshields can keep your car’s roof from crumpling and causing significant bodily harm.
Along with helping the structure of a vehicle, windshields also play a huge role in successful airbag deployment. During airbag deployment, windshields act like a backstop, offering the support required to slow the force of the wreck. Even a seemingly insignificant amount of windshield chips or cracks can lead to the airbags malfunctioning and putting your safety at risk.
One of the most important factors in safe driving is visibility. Your windshield is the only thing that completely dictates the level of visibility you have, so keeping it in top shape is incredibly important. Depending on the location of the damage, even a small dent can greatly distort your vision, especially when it is extremely bright or dark outside.
Finally, the windshield also contributes to keeping dangerous road debris outside of your vehicle. Weakened windshields offer virtually no defense system, allowing dangerous objects to enter the vehicle.Because of this, making sure that your windshields are strong is imperative for your safety.
Types of Common Windshield Glass Damage
Windshield damage has many different forms. We categorize the two most common types of auto glass damage as chips and cracks. They can happen for a vast assortment of reasons, from airborne debris to extreme heat. In most cases, small chips will often turn into larger, more severe cracks that are much more expensive to repair. Leaving windshield glass damage untreated long enough often requires a replacement.
Chip Off the Block: Types of Windshield Glass Chips and How They’re Treated
Chips are the most common type of damage leading to Houston auto glass repair. They can come in a large number of shapes and sizes. The majority of chips look like small, cone-shaped indentations on a windshield that come from sudden, forceful impact from things like hail or rocks. Chip variations include:
- Bullseye chips have a circular shape and are typically some of the deepest types of cracks. Sometimes, small circular cracks will form around the impact point, signaling a more severe type of damage that requires immediate repair.
- Half Moon chips are similar to Bullseye chips but only have a half-moon shape. An angled impact, rather than a head-on one, usually causes these.
- Star chips resemble a star. These have a defined center point where the impact occurred and have multiple short, jagged cracks sprouting from the center.
Chips that are smaller than a quarter can almost always be repaired. This is typically done with a unique, durable liquid resin that has been designed to perfectly mimic the light refraction and strength of windshield glass. The resin is injected into the crack and smoothed into every niche and corner, ensuring the most seamless bond possible. Once the resin is applied, it is cured with a UV light to completely harden the material and ensure that the repair has maximum durability.
Windshield Cracks: When a Small Chip Becomes a Big Concern
Oftentimes, a small chip can turn into a large crack nearly overnight. Windshield cracks are linear auto glass damage; they can vary greatly in size.This can happen for many reasons, such as high heat, touching the glass, and excessive jostling. Much like chips, we categorize many different types of cracks into these main varieties:
- Stress cracks often appear out of nowhere and look long and very thin. Sudden temperature changes or even flawed glass manufacturing usually cause them. Stress cracks can grow exponentially quickly, so expedited repair is necessary to avoid replacement.
- Edge cracks get their name from their location. This type of crack always starts at the very edge of a windshield, and previous installation faults normally cause it. To avoid this type of damage, choose a seasoned, trustworthy glass company like Action Glass Houston.
- Floating cracks often appear in the middle of the windshield, and a direct, highly forceful impact causes them. These can be some of the most severe types of windshield damage, and you should take them seriously.
- Combination breaks most often begin as a small crack that grows into a startlingly large crack, chip combination that can greatly weaken your windshield.
Repair vs. Replacement
At Action Glass Houston, we pride ourselves on offering top-of-the-line repairs that will save you money and the integrity of your windshield. But we also pride ourselves on knowing when a repair is necessary for your safety. Our general rule-of-thumb is that damage exceeding the length of a dollar bill almost always elicits a repair, or if there are more than three damaged areas. Other factors that influence our decision to repair or replace could include the placement of the damage. If the crack is slowly inching into a driver’s line of sight, a repair is probably in order.
Additionally, if a crack or chip has compromised your laminated windshield glass’s plastic layer, we also recommend a replacement.This is because the laminated glass gets its uncanny strength from the plastic layer that we “sandwich” between the glass. So when the plastic layer is breached, the strength of the window is greatly reduced.
Why Prioritize Windshield Glass Repair?
Windshields are arguably one of the most integral parts of your car. Without them, your airbags would fail to protect you, the roof could potentially cave in, and you would be unable to see the road. Because of its many roles in vehicle safety, Houston auto glass repairs and investing in timely service should be of the utmost importance.
Timely repairs are important because of the unique nature of glass damage. To an extent, glass is unpredictable. In a matter of seconds, the smallest vibration could take a small chip to a 12-inch-long, jagged crack that requires a complete windshield replacement.
At Action Glass Houston, we greatly value our customers’ time and want to make seeking high-quality, fast glass repairs as easy as possible.
Finding Your Clear View with Windshield Glass Repair
Don’t let a minor, fixable chip ruin your peace of mind and your wallet—get Action Glass Houston to fix it fast and precisely before it turns into a larger problem. Maintaining your windshield’s integrity isn’t just a recommendation; it is a crucial element in car safety for both you and your passengers.
Contact us today to schedule your Houston auto glass repair!